1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a trimmer/cutter attachment designed to replace trimmer/cutters on currently existing landscaping trimmers or for original installation on new landscaping trimmers. The trimmer/cutter attachment when mounted on a lawn trimmer efficiently trims or edges grasses and/or weeds, and is particularly adapted for removal of weeds, unwanted grasses and unwanted shallow roots in and around flower beds, planters, and rock gardens, as well as in flower pots and in flower boxes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Landscaping trimmers, that use mono filament line to cut grass and weeds in areas where it is impractical or impossible to use lawn mowers, are well-known. They are used to edge around trees, near fences and walls and along borders of landscaped areas. Conventional landscaping trimmers have elongated shafts with a rotating element proximal the ground surface to which is attached a spool of monofilament line. This line is automatically fed from the spool by centrifugal force when the mono filament line is released by tapping a release button on the ground. As the ends of the mono filament line are worn and become shorter the operator taps the release button to lengthen the monofilament line for more efficient cutting. To meet other landscaping needs, the rotating spool that is attached to the trimmer may be replaced by other attachments, such as those having rigid blades.
The current attachments to landscaping trimmers have a number of disadvantages. Those attachments using spools to dispense a continuous supply of monofilament line tend to bind, jam, break and thus refuse to automatically feed monofilament line from the spool. This requires the operator to shut off the trimmer and make repairs, which slows the trimming and frustrates the operator. In addition, the operator is unable to do precision cutting as the monofilament line is constantly changing its length through wear and imprecise lengthening of the line. This causes the operator to frequently cut into plants, trees, walls, landscaping trim, and fences. Ihe rate of wear of the exposed monofilament line depends on the type of vegetation being cut and the number of times the user has inadvertently cut into a fence or a wall. Also, the amount of new monofilament line extended from the spool each time it is tapped on the ground depends upon the number of times the spool was tapped on the ground, and the possibility of the monofilament line binding and jamming within the spool without the operator being aware. As a result, when edging around a garden, a tree or a landscaped area, and operator is not always able to correctly anticipate the correct cutting radius of the trimmer. Frequently when wear of the monofilament line is rapid or the line breaks, the line will retract within the spool requiring the operator to disassemble the attachment and re-extend the line.
These well-known attachments are unable to remove weeds, unwanted grass and shallow roots from flower beds, rock gardens, planters, flower boxes and from around shrubbery. This requires the operator to interrupt the trimming operation and obtain different tools for weed and root removal.
Notwithstanding the existence of such prior art trimmer attachments, it remains clear that there is a need for a trimmer attachment that will trim precisely and at the same time will be able to remove weeds, unwanted grasses and shallow roots.